The Sydney Roosters' thumping victory over Brisbane in the NRLW has been marred by rookie winger Ashleigh Werner being sent off for an alleged bite. 

Earlier, Gold Coast downed North Queensland in the Cowboys' inaugural match before Newcastle defeated the Dragons.

Check out all the news, scores and stats below.

Sydney Roosters 36 def Brisbane Broncos 18

Werner was sent off for allegedly biting opposite number Jayme Fressard in a controversial 36-18 win by the Sydney Roosters on the opening day of the NRLW competition.

The Broncos were trailing 30-18 on the Sunshine Coast when debutant Werner was tackled by Fressard in the 54th minute.

Fressard put her arm around the face of Werner before the incident occurred.

After being reviewed by the Bunker, referee Wyatt Raymond spoke to Broncos captain Ali Brigginshaw and said: "The Bunker has reviewed it. The hand goes into the mouth and she punches down on the hand, so she's off."

Roosters star centre Jessica Sergis scored two tries in the win.

Team stats

Warner is set to be the second NRLW player to face the judiciary on a biting charge.

Dragons winger Madison Bartlett was banned for one game after she was found guilty of biting last season.

Newcastle Knights 32 def St George Illawarra Dragons 16

Newcastle began its premiership defence with a 32-16 defeat of fast-finishing St George Illawarra.

Seven of the Knights' 2022 premiership team left the club in the off-season but enough class remained to hold off a Dragons side unrecognisable after their own mass changes.

Newcastle's forward pack allayed concerns that followed the departure of talismanic prop Millie Boyle, with Caitlan Johnston especially damaging on a shift from the middle to the edge.

The Knights' 18-6 half-time advantage, engineered by premiership duo Tamika Upton and Jesse Southwell, gave the hosts a buffer in Newcastle  to withstand two late Dragons tries.

Upton's double-pump for winger-turned-second-rower Yasmin Clydsdale had Newcastle out to 12-0, and an inside ball from Southwell to Kayla Romaniuk extended the buffer to 18.

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Teagan Berry was dynamic on her shift from wing to fullback and kept the Dragons in the contest with a try on the stroke of half-time, though the put-down appeared suspect.

When she scooped up a Southwell kick and sprinted away in the final 10 minutes, Berry had her double and moved into equal-first on the all-time NRLW tryscoring stakes.

Rugby sevens convert Tyla Nathan-Wong scooted over from dummy-half in the set after points to get the Dragons within 10 points, but it was too little too late.

Gold Coast Titans 16 def North Queensland Cowboys 6

Gold Coast fullback Evania Pelite has showcased her class and power to inspire a 16-6 win over North Queensland, but the victory came at a cost.

Titans number six Taliah Fuimaono limped from the field in the second half with coach Karyn Murphy confirming after the clash there was concern the Jillaroos star had suffered an ankle injury.

Pelite, a 2016 Olympic gold medal winner with the Australian Rugby Sevens side and current Queensland State of Origin representative, was at her brilliant best with and without the ball.

The 27-year-old scored a crucial try, saved one and had a hand in the lead-up to another in Robina where she ran for 248 metres and made 15 tackle busts.

"Vani (Pelite) was massive with a try-saving tackle late in game and with her carries at the back," Murphy said.

The Cowboys had a great start to their existence as a new NRLW club with hooker Emma Manzelmann darting out of dummy-half to score with a dazzling run through the middle.

Manzelmann, the first player signed by the Cowboys, then made a desperate try saver to deny Gold Coast.

Pelite then made a slick short-side play in the lead-up to winger Destiny Mino-Sanapati's try to get the hosts on the scoreboard.

North Queensland led 6-4 at the break but the Titans started the second stanza with flair.

Pelite's blockbusting running style and footwork secured Gold Coast's lead for the first time in the match with a 40-metre surge to the tryline.

Team stats

The Cowboys refused to give in, even after they lost winger Mia Middleton to the sin-bin after she dumped opposite number Emily Bass on her head.

Pelite made a try-saver on the visitors' second-rower Shaniah Power before Titans back-rower Zara Canfield bullocked her way over under the posts.

Despite tasting defeat, Cowboys coach Ben Jeffries said there were plenty of positives after what was a historic day for the new team.

"When I first moved to Townsville in 2015 there was no women's comp," he said.

"I am privileged and honoured to be the inaugural coach and part of the female pathway and it is going to be here for years to come."

AAP